| Lila Mayoral Wirshing | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1972-1977 |
|
| Governor | Rafael Hernández Colón |
| Preceded by | Rosario Ferré |
| Succeeded by | Kate Donnelly |
| In office 1985-1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Kate Donnelly |
| Succeeded by | Irma Margarita Neváres |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 12, 1942 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Died | July 1, 2003 (aged 61) Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Spouse(s) | Rafael Hernández Colón (1959-2003) |
| Children | Rafael José Alfredo Dora Mercedes Juan Eugenio (b. 1969) |
| Alma mater | Universidad del Sagrado Corazón |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Lila de las Mercedes Mayoral Wirshing was the wife of Governor of Puerto Rico Rafael Hernández Colón, and served as First Lady during his three terms as Governor (1972-1977, 1985-1993).
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Lila Mayoral was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico to industrialist Juan Eugenio Mayoral Renovales and Julita Wirshing Serrallés. She had three sisters: Julita Mercedes, Ana Inés, and Eugenia.
Mayoral began his studies at the Liceo Ponceño in Ponce, and finished high school at the Dana Hall School in Massachusetts. It is during this time that she met Rafael Hernández Colón, who was a young law student at the time.
Mayoral and Hernández Colón married on October 24, 1959. They had four children: Rafael, José Alfredo, Dora Mercedes, and Juan Eugenio.
Lila Mayoral became First Lady of Puerto Rico when her husband, Rafael Hernández Colón, was elected Governor in the 1972 general elections. She remained in the position until Hernández Colón lost the 1976 elections.
Mayoral distinguished herself for her dedication to the community. After Hurricane Eloise caused damage on the island, she organized a concert to benefit those damaged by the storm.
After her husband's defeat, Mayoral returned to college to finish her degree. In 1982 she obtained her Bachelor's degree in Business Management from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón with a 4.00 GPA.
Mayoral became the First Lady again when Hernández Colón was reelected as Governor in 1984.
The next year, after the Mameyes Landslide in Ponce, Mayoral convinced the government to rebuild cement houses to the victims instead of wooden ones. Also, after Hurricane Hugo affected the island, Mayoral led the government and community efforts to raise funds to the victims of the storm. She was President of the Board of Directors of the Committee "Dale la Mano a Puerto Rico", which organized a marathon where they collected $15.6 million.
Mayoral also led an anti-drug campaign in schools called "Abre tus ojos a un mundo sin drogas". The campaign encouraged students to develop different artistic projects with an anti-drug theme. Celebrities like José Miguel Agrelot, Ednita Nazario, and Dagmar participated in the campaign, handing out awards and gifts to the winners.
Mayoral also led reforestation efforts in the island.
After her retirement from public life, Mayoral continued working on several projects, namely the Centro San Francisco in Ponce, and the construction of a sanctuary for the Virgin of the Lumen Dei Union in Orocovis.
Mayoral died on January 7, 2003 of colon cancer. A school in Ponce was named in her honor, as well as the building of the Department of Family in San Juan.
Mayoral received numerous awards and honors during her lifetime. Some of them were:
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